Annual Family Vacation

For the past 5 years, we have always taken a family vacation (usually during this time). We always go to Pensacola, FL cause it's a lot cheaper than the rest of Florida, and it's the closest to us. If I had it my way, we would go to a different state every year and go look at museums and historical sites...but I'm always outnumbered. At least this way, it forces us to spend time together.

the wee hours in the morning

This year, we had the opportunity of having my parents and brother join us. It was so nice to split the 15 hours drive. Usually I trade with Spencer, but he doesn't really like riding in the back nor taking care of the kids...so he ends up driving more than 10 hours anyways. This time, it was more like 6. 

View from the hotel room

We took our new pilot because all of us could fit....barely. I hate my clunky car seats. Seriously...they take up MORE than one car space it's ridiculous. I have yet to find one that doesn't though. And it makes me more mad, when my children don't like to sit in them. Next year, if there is one, Dom will get just a backless booster seat.....it would be so much better for everyone involved. We'll have to see about Ethan. My sister in law got inflatable boosters for her kids at our family reunion this past summer and I thought it was the greatest idea EVER!! She could easily fit three of them in the back of a normal sized car, and they could easily be moved around, and deflated for the airplane trip back home.

Ethan refused to be strapped longer than 4 hours....so that was annoying. He was jumping from person to person. When he would finally give in and sleep, I would strap him back in, but even then, he only lasted like an hour. 

They couldn't wait 

he liked the water, but I think the sand more

We left home at midnight and arrived by 4pm. We like driving this way, because it makes the trip seem a lot shorter. We left at 8am when we were coming back home and had to take a break for the night at a hotel (taking us two days to drive back)...it was just exhausting....so we have figured that driving at night is just easier on everybody. And 4 pm was a great time...because it was check in time. All we had to do was unload and unpack the swimsuits to go to the beach. 

Eating breakfast...the only time Dom actually ate it.

We stayed three nights and we did the same thing every day- go to the beach. Spencer and Dom would start right after breakfast, take an afternoon nap, and then we would all go out and walk the beach at sunset. My dad hates the sun, so he refused to leave before 5pm haha.  I would go out with the boys in the morning, but would not last very long, because Ethan needed a nap. 

The cool thing about our hotel is that it includes a pack n play, fridge and microwave in the room.  Right before getting to the hotel, we stop at the Walmart neighborhood market , stock up , never leave the room...unless we go to the beach haha. There really is no good restaurants around....maybe a pizza place, but that is it.

Last day (do you see the pier in the background?)

The water was not as clear this time as before...I blame Louisiana AND whatever was brewing right out side the gulf....apparently a big storm. This time, they were quite a few bigger fish closer to the shore...and even jellyfish. They were cool to look at, but kinda scary cause they just floated along the shore, and I was scared they were gonna sting one of my kids. I'm pretty sure I got stung a few years back. I never saw the darn thing, but I remember it hurt BAD....immediately my skin turned irritated red. It was probably a very small one. It hurt almost like a bad sting (a bad shot) for a couple of days. I can't imagine what a big jellyfish sting would do. Also, our last day, the shore created a mini cliff right by our hotel...we were not allowed to swim there (per the lifeguards it was too dangerous, because the water was just hitting the cliff too hard)....but in that area, we found the coolest seashells.

The boys have a sand kit we bought a long time ago on clearance, and it still going strong. We used it to unearth the cool sea shells. I had NEVER seen the seashells that you see in the stores in the shore. You usually only see the little round ones (like the little mermaid)...but these were all kinds of cool. A lot of them were pretty battered, probably from the choppy waters, but still cool nonetheless. I think we filled a whole bucket full of them. I thought I would have time to go thru them and remove the ones that were too beat up, but there was no time, so all of them made it back home. Spencer kept joking that our car was too heavy because somebody decided to bring back 100 lbs of shells. 

Half of our seashell bunch. 

It was really fun to spend it with my parents and brother. They helped a lot with the kiddos. I actually got in the water this time. Ethan loved the sand...and still eats it. Dom and Spencer are mermaids...if they could, they would just live in the ocean. I'm an in between. Ethan and I walked the pier one day, and it as cool to see what is out there....mainly big fish and jellyfish. We were so far away, but we were able tospot Spencer and Dom at the nearby beach laughing it up.

originally, this is how far I was from the beach

closer zooming

much closer zooming.

AH! there they are. I'm starting to think this is a pretty cool
camera. I could spy on people....

The day we came back, we drove about 10 hours before calling quits around 6pm. We ate at Texas Roadhouse and went to bed by 9pm just outside of Little Rock AK. The next day. we only drove 5 hours and made in home in time for lunch and nap times. The following week, Spencer had to go back to work and Dom started school! 

coming back home

Vacation always goes fast....but it was time well spent. Maybe next year, we'll venture out and fly out to Destin...or maybe even Daytona beach....closer to the Pacific. Who knows?! There's a lot of time to plan it still.

My favorite!